mazza chiodata
The English word 'mace' is translated into Italian as mazza chiodata.
Meaning: a spice (noun)
Did you know?
- The spice mazza chiodata is named after its appearance, as the 'spikes' mimic the look of a medieval spiked club.
- In Italian, the related spice chiodo di garofano (clove) also uses the word chiodo, meaning 'nail'. This creates a thematic 'hardware' category for these aromatic seeds in the language.
- The word for the weapon, mazza, shares a common ancestor with the Latin word for a 'hoe', a garden tool.
Example conversation
Chiara and Alessandro are cooking together in the kitchen.
- ChiaraAlessandro, dove si trova la mazza chiodata?Alessandro, where are the cloves?
- AlessandroÈ nel cassetto delle spezie, Chiara.It is in the spice drawer, Chiara.
- ChiaraNe serve molta per questo dolce?Do we need a lot of it for this dessert?
- AlessandroNo, ne basta un chiodo solo.No, just one clove is enough.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mazza, mazza chiodata, CC BY-SA 4.0.
